Middle-class New Yorkers can expect tax cut

Saturday

ALBANY — In this week's New York state government news, millions of taxpayers can look forward to keeping a little bit more of their money in 2018 and state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli returns from the climate conference in Germany.

Meanwhile, the state Assembly reviews election security after Russian hackers targeted state voting systems in last year's election.

Here's a look at stories making news:

Tax cut coming

With all the debate over tax overhauls in Washington, Republican state senators want New Yorkers to know middle-class tax relief is already on the way Jan. 1.

An estimated 4.4 million New Yorkers will see their state income taxes go down in 2018 thanks to the reduction, part of a phased-in $4.2 billion tax cut passed in 2016 that will ultimately reduce taxes for those with an income between $40,000 and $300,000.

The average savings for middle-class taxpayers in 2017 will amount to $250, increasing to an average of $700 when the cuts are fully phased in.

"This historic tax relief will allow middle-class families to achieve a better quality of life because they will keep more from their paychecks," said Sen. Catharine Young, the Republican chair of the Senate's budget committee. "Hardworking taxpayers will be able to afford to buy more goods and services, which in turn will grow more jobs and economic prosperity."

DiNapoli and climate change

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli traveled to Germany this month to participate in the United Nations climate talks — and to remind world leaders that New York hasn't abandoned the Paris Agreement, even if the U.S. has.

DiNapoli, a Democrat, said he returned from the trip encouraged by the international community's determination and frustrated by the federal government's resistance. Nicaragua and Syria recently joined the Paris agreement, leaving the U.S. as the only nation to reject the deal, which calls for nations to voluntarily reduce carbon emissions.

"The world community is committed to the Paris Agreement and to fostering the transition to a lower carbon economy," DiNapoli said. "Now that Nicaragua and Syria have come on board — the only two states that weren't part of Paris — it is somewhat bizarre to think that the U.S. is moving in the other direction."

As comptroller, DiNapoli manages billions of dollars in state investments and has steered a significant chunk of the money to companies that reduce their emissions or embrace sustainable policies.

Election hacking

State officials are taking a look at the integrity of voting systems after Russian government hackers targeted nearly two dozen states during last year's election.

A panel of state Assembly members will meet Tuesday in Manhattan to hear from state, federal and local officials and computer security experts to review current election security and discuss ways to improve it ahead of next year's election.

Earlier this year, federal homeland security officials notified 21 states whose election systems Russian hackers attempted to access. New York was not on the list, but state officials have said the threat of election hacking is too great to ignore.